Transmission



March 20, 1951 c. GERST 2,546,063

TRANSMISSION Filed May 19, 1948 V 5 Sheets-Sheet 1 mmvrozz. awe/s 5 srIII March 20, 1951 I c, s-r I 2,546,063 1 TRANSMISSION k I 5Sheets-Sheet? Filed May 19, 1948 m... 4 11 990 l zaa 29 52 INVENTOR.

March 20, 1951 I c. GERST 2,546,063

CHRIS BEES?- gjlkd- 62.16%?

March 20, 1951 c. GERST 2,546,063

l TRANSMISSION 5 Sheets-Sheet 4 Filed May 19, 1948 IN V EN TOR.

CHRIS BERST C. GERST TRANSMISSION March 20, 1951 5 Sheets-Sheet 5 FiledMay 19, 1948 INVENTOR.

CHRIS BERST Patented Mar. 20, 1951 UNITED- S'TA'TES PATENT OFFICE:

TRANSMISSION Chris G'erst, Detroit, Mich, -assi'gn'or 'to The 1Transmission & Gear Company, Dearborn, Mich acorporation of MichiganApplication May 19, 1948,SerialNo. 27.877

2Claims. 1

This invention relates in general tc'transmissions' 'and moreparticularly, to transmissions mounted on vehicles to transmit powerfrom individual power units to rotary devices supported by the vehiclesin axial aligmnent' with their longitudinal axis. The primary-objectof-the present invention is the provision ofa compact, readilyreversible transmission having angularly related input and output shaftstopermit transmission of power from a power unit to'a rotary devicelaterally of the power unit and the transmission.

Another object ofithe invention is the provision of a readily.reversible transmission having angularly related'input and outputshafts which are coupled with each other by gearing, intermediate shaftmeans and duaI frictionclutchmeans,-the transmission meeting all'requirements for high efficiency, smooth operation and convenience ofcontrol and repair.

Still further objects and novelfeatures of construction,combination'and'relation of parts by which the objects inview'have'beenattained, will appear and-are set'forth in detail in thecourse of the following specification. The drawings accompanyingandforming'lpart of the specification illustrate-certain practicalembodiments of the invention, but it will be-apparent as thespecification proceeds that the structure may be modified and changed invarious ways without departure i fromthe true spirit and broad scope ofthe invention.

In the drawings:

Fig; 1 is a'front view of a power transmission built in accordance withthe invention;

Fig. 2'is a side view of the transmission shown in-Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is a transversalsectional view partly in elevation through thetransmission; the section being taken on line 3-3 of Fig. 4;

Fig l is -a cross sectional viewthrough the transmission-the sectionbeing taken on lines 4-4 and=6-4 ofF-ig.-3;

Fig. 5 is an enlarged,transversal-sectional view through the dual clutchstructure of the transmission;

Fig. 6 is an enlargedfragmentary sectional view on line--6-6 of Fig. 1;and

Fig. 7 is a diagrammaticview 'of the gearing of the transmission.

Referring now more particularly to the exemplified form of thetransmission and clutch structure shown inthe drawings, referencenumeral 2 denotes a main housing which includes at its rear'end a-bellhousing 3 andis closed at its front end by a cover member 4, preferablyof ashape as indicated. Housing 12 has extendedthereintoian input shaft5 mounted in ball bearings 6, which input shaft is coupled with acounter'shaft 1 by means of gears 8 and9 and in turn is coupled with anoutput shaft -I0 by a dual clutch structure H and gearing l2. The outputshaftilfl .is extended laterallyfrom housing 2 in an upwardly inclinedplane for engagement with a 'rotary device to be driven (not shown),rotating about an inclined axis parallel to theaxis of the output shaft.

Dual clutch structure 1 I, a dual friction clutch unit of the typedisclosed in my copending applications--Serial No. 728,842filed"February 15, 1947 and Serial No. 784,681 filed-Novemberl947-includes a pressure plate structure with axially spaced pressureplates, and a backing plate structure positioned between the pressureplates for cooperation of the pressure plate "structure with the backingplate structure in selectively actuating clutch disk assemblies of" thedual friction clutch unit by shifting the pressure plate structure inopposite directions. Thisclutch structure is mounted on a splinedendportion I4 of countershaft I journaled in'housing 2 bysa rollerbearing l5 and the spl'ine'd end portion 14 is extended outwardlythrough an opening i I 6 in cover'member 4.

Dual friction clutch-structured I embodies a pressure plate structure lland a backing :plate structure l8 slidably and non-rotatablyicoupledwith each other for joint rotation by countershaft 7. The pressure plateand backing plate structures are 'non-rotatably 'and axia'lly shiftablyinterengag'ed with each other for selective coupling of countershaft lwith gearing 12 by either one of two individual clutch disk assembliesl9 and 28 arranged within' the pressure plate structure at oppositesides of backing plate means 25 of the backing plate structure.

Pressure plate structure 41 includes'acylindrical body -member '22having a peripheral wall 23 whichisislotted parallel to the axis of bodymember-22 to provide :same with radial slots 24. The body member has oneend partly closed by axing-shaped end plate 25 which is secured to thebody member by bolts wand :has the other end flanged inwardly to providea flanged nortion 2'5 arranged opposite to ring-shaped end plate 25. In"addition body'memberi'z includes earportions 28 which are integrallyextended from the outside faceof the flanged portion 21.

Backing plate structure 18 includes a cupshaped body '29mountingibacking plates stand 3| so as to be positioned betweenring-shaped end plate 25 and flanged portion 21 of the pressure platestructure. Body 29 has its peripheral wall 32 slidably and non-rotatablyengaged with the outer face of the peripheral wall of cylindrical bodymember 22 and includes in the peripheral wall 32 slots 33 for radialdriving lugs 34 extended from backing plates 30 and 8 l, which lugs alsoextend through the radial slots 24 in body member 22. The body 29 isdimensioned to be sleeved upon body member 22 and has integrallyextended from its end wall 35 an internally splined hub member 39mounting the cup-shaped body 29 on the splined end portion I4 ofcountershaft l. The peripheral wall 32 of body 29 is externally threadedand in addition, radially slotted to provide this wall with the radialslots 24 in body member 22. Th backing plates are held in adjustedposition by ring members 31 which are threadedly engaged with thethreaded peripheral wall 32 and held against rotation by spring-pressedplungers 33 mounted on the backing plates and fitting bores 39 in theside walls of the ring members 37.

Pressure plate structure IT is shifted in opposite directions by dualclutch levers 49 to actuate either one of the two clutch disk assembliesI9 and 20. These dual clutch levers are pivotally mounted on shafts 41between spaced ear portions 42 integrally extended from the body 29 ofthe backing plate structure adjacent to elongated openings 43 in the endwall 35 of body 29. The dual clutch levers which each include a thirdlever arm 44 linked by a link member 45 to the respective ear portion 28on body member 22, which link member extends through the respectiveelongated opening 43, carry on their arms 46 and 4'? rollers 48 and 49and are actuated by a shifting member 59 coupled by a ball bearing 5|with a throw out collar 52 actuated by a fork member 53 mounted on ashaft 54. The shifting member 59 is slidably mounted on the splined endportion 14 of counter-shaft l and when shifted toward the dual clutchstructure engages the inclined surfaces 55 of its extended jaw members59 with the rollers 48 of the dual clutch levers (i and effects tiltingof these levers and therewith shifting of the pressure plate structuretoward the right until clutch disk assembly I9 is tightl gripped betweenthe ring-shaped end plate 25 and backing plate 39. Shifting of member 50in the opposite direction, away from the dual clutch structure effectsengagement of rollers 49 of dual clutch levers 49 with the oppositelyinclined surfaces of jaw members :36

and therewith tilting of the lever and shifting of the pressure platestructure toward the left until the clutch disk assembly 29 is tightlygripped between the flanged portion 2'? and backing plate 3|.

The thus constructed and actuated friction clutch structure which ismounted on the splined end portion [4 of countershaft T has its clutchdisk assemblies l9 and 29 built up from friction driving disks 58, 58non-rotatably and axially shiftably engaged with the toothed peripheralwall 23 of body member 22 and friction driven disks 59, 59 non-rotatablyand axially shiftably engaged with the enlarged splined end portions 90and Si of two axially aligned intersleeved tubular shafts 62 and 93,respectively. Tubular shaft 93, which has its enlarged, splined endportion 6| freely, rotatably mounted by means of a ball bearing 94 onthe hub member 39 of cupshaped body 29, slidably and non-rotatablysupports the friction driven disks 59' and tubular shaft 62, which hasits enlarged, splined end portion 60 freely rotatably mounted by meansof a ball bearing 85 on the tubular shaft 63, slidably and non-rotatablysupports the friction driven disks 59. Tubular shafts 62 and 63 andcountershaft 1 are axially aligned with each other, tubular shaft 63being dimensioned to be freely sleeved upon countershaft 1 and tubularshaft 62 being dimensioned to be freely sleeved upon tubular shaft 63.The tubular shaft 62 is the forward drive shaft and meshes with its earportion 66 a large gear 61 on a second countershaft 68 mounted in ballbearings 69 and 10; and tubular shaft 63, the reverse drive shaft,includes a pinion H which by means of a double idler gear 12 is coupledwith the large gear 61 on countershaft 68. This latter countershaftincludes at its inner end a bevel pinion 13 meshing a bevel gear 74 on ashaft 15, which mounts a small spur gear l6, meshing a large spur gear11 on upwardly inclined output shaft Hi, the latter being journaled inbearings 18, I9 and mounting at its exposed end a spur gear adapted tobe engaged with a coordinated gear on the device to be rotated (notshown).

In the operation of the transmission, when input shaft 5 is rotated by apower unit, rotation of the input shaft is transferred by gears 8 and 9to countershaft i mounting the cup-shaped body 29 of the backing platestructure, and this body is continuously rotated with countershaft 7.Rotation of body 29 affords a driving means for a centrifugal pumpstructure 8| coupled with body 29 by a belt drive 82, including a belt83, and driving and driven pulleys or pulley-like structures 84, on body29 and pump structure 8!, respectively. Coupling of pulleys 84 and 85 isfacilitated by a slot 86 in the hood-shaped cover member 8'! whichprotects the dual friction clutch structure ll.

Actuation of the dual friction clutch structure effects coupling ofcountershaft 1 by clutch disk assemblies l9 and 28 with either tubularshaft 62, the forward drive shaft, or tubular shaft 63, the reversedrive shaft, and therewith rotation of the output shaft In, eitherthrough gear 61, bevel pinion l3, bevel gear 14 and spur gears 16 and H,or through pinion H, double idler gear '52, gear 97, bevel pinion 13,bevel gear 14 and spur gears 16 and 11. As countershaft 1 is rotated inone direction only, each one of the tubular shafts 62 or 63 when coupledwith the countershaft by its respective clutch disk assembly is rotatedin the direction of rotation of such countershaft, and the tubularshaft, then not coupled with the countershaft is rotated in the oppositedirection of rotation. Shifting of the transmission into reverseautomatically efiects change of rotation of the tubular shafts. A quickreversal of the transmission is facilitated by a brake arrangement 88automatically actuated whenever the transmission is shifted to orthrough neutral position.

I'he brake arrangement 88 includes a brake drum 89, which is mounted ontubular shaft 62, and a brake band 90 partly encirling brake drum 89.Brake band 90 has its one end portion secured to housing 2 by a bracket9i pivotally attached to a bracket member 92 on said housing and itsother end portion adjustably secured to the short arm 93 of a. duallever member 94 by means of a bracket 95. This dual lever member ispivoted on shaft 96 and includes a longer lever arm 91 cooperating witha lever 98 on shaft 54.

Thus lever arm 91, yieldingly drawn toward lever 98 by a tension spring99, has extended from its bottom surface a cam member I including twoinclined side portions IDI and H32 and a recessed middle portion I03,and lever 98 carries at its outer end a roller 04 adapted to ride on cammember 100 when the shaft 54 is oscillated by actuation of the operatinglever I95 also secured to shaft 54. Cam member I00 and lever 98 are soarranged with respect to each other that in neutral position of theclutch structure, roller I04 rests in the recessed middle portion I03and in forward or reverse position of the clutch structure, engages thelower portions of the inclined side portions [0! and I02 of such cammember to permit tilting of dual lever member 94 by tension spring 99and therewith automatic release of the friction action of brake band 90on brake drum 89.

In describing the operation of the transmission it will be assumed that,as shown in Fig. 5, dual friction clutch structure I! is in neutralposition in which pressure plate structure I? is inactive, the brakearrangement 88 is activated and all parts of the dual friction clutchstructure, except tubular shafts 62, 83 and friction driven disks 59,59' of clutch disk assemblies i9 and 20 are rotating with countershaftI. If it is desired to drive output shaft 10 in a forward direction theopera.ing lever I is shifted to the right to effect release of brakearrangement 98, and activation of clutch disk assembly 19 by shiftingpressure plate structure I! to the right. Such shifting effects rotationof tubular shaft 62 in a forward direction and this rotation of thetubular shaft through gear portion 66, gear 61, bevel pinion 13, bevelgear 14 and spur gears 16 and I1, effects forward rotation of outputshaft ID. A reverse drive of output shaft I0 is effected by shifting theoperating lever I05 to the left to 6 1. In a transmission with ahousing, and input and output shafts, coupled with each other byreversible gearing, a countershaft extended through said housing andgeared to said input shaft for rotation thereby, a dual clutch structwotubular shafts arranged concentrically with respect to each other andsaid countershaft and mounting driven members of said dual clutchstructure, gearing continuously coupling the tubular shafts with eachother, and one of said tubular shafts with said output shaft, a brakemeans for one of said tubular shafts, and means for selectively engagingthe driving members of the dual clutch structure with the driven memberson either one of the tubular shafts and actuation of the brake means inneutral position of said engaging means.

2. A transmission as described in claim 1, wherein said brake meansincludes a brake drum mounted on the said one of said tubular shafts, abrake band for said brake drum and cooperating lever and cam meansincluding an operating lever with a lever arm coupled with said brakeband and a second lever arm yieldingly coupled with the said engagingmeans for cooperation therewith in braking and releasing operation ofsaid brake means.

CHRIS GERST.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file ofthis patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,130,134 Baldwin Mar. 2, 19151,136,279 Severy Apr. 20, 1915 2,019,146 Livermore Oct. 29, 19352,138,618 Seyerle Nov. 29, 1938 2,335,926 Fawick Dec. 7, 1943 2,361,190Gerst Oct. 24, 1944 2,443,313 Gerst June 15, 1948 FOREIGN PATENTS NumberCountry Date 142,575 Germany July 10, 1903 391,882 Great Britain May 4,1933 715,462 Germany Dec. 22, 1941

